Concerning the Three Principles of the Divine Essence
49. And the spirit of the eternal essences (which hath understanding and knowledge, and also the trial and proving of every thing, in which the source [or active property or quality] which is in man, consisteth) that was breathed into him, by the wisdom of God, through the driving will, which goeth 8 forward, out of the eternal mind, out of30rintorethe opened gates of the deep, through the word, 81 [together] with the moving spirit of God. And he had the 4 touch of the centre of the abyss [wz.]« Or stirring. the eternal source 6 behind him, as a band, and6 Or as the before him, the heart and light of God, as a glance the light. of the joy and kindling of paradise, which springe th up in the essences with the light of the joy ; and beneath him [he had] the four elements in the budding out of the limbus which was in him.
p. 390
50. And as long as he set his imagination in the Heart of God, the paradise was in him, [and he in the paradise], and the band of the abyss in him (in
1 Or property, the l source) was a paradise of transcendent ioy:
as the fire is ' . * J the cause of and the kingdom of this world held him from shining. beneath also in the band, because it goeth forth from the element. But so long as he. set his mind in the Heart of God, it [the kingdom of the four elements] could not lay hold on him [or master him], and it was impotent, as to him, as this world is impotent as to God.
51. And thus the spirit and soul of Adam stood in the midst (in the joyful paradise) forty days, as
8 three had a one [only! day. and all 2 inclined to him ; one desire to have L J J J him. [whereof was] the kingdom of hell, of the eternal originality out of the dark mind, out of which his worm of the soul (in the opened gate) was gone forth ; and secondly, [there inclined to him] the Deity of the kingdom of heaven in the opened gate, in the pleasant lustre ; and thirdly, the spirit of the stars and elements [inclined to him] drawing him to their bands, and heartily desiring him.
52. And thus Adam stood upright in the temptation ; for his angry mind (out of the originality of the first Principle) stood in joy [being enlightened] from the light of God ; and the source of the fierce wrath made the rising joy, for the light made all meek and friendly, that he might incline himself to love ; and thereby he stood (on earth) rightly in the paradise.
Ch. 17] OF THE FALL OF ADAM AND EVE 391
53. The four elements of this world, together with the sun and stars, could not qualify [or mix] with him ; he drew no air into him ; but the spirit of God (in the virgin) was his breathing, and [his] kindling of the. fire in the spirit.
54. But while he thus stood (between the kingdom of hell and the kingdom of this world) in the paradise, bound with bands, and yet also wholly free, in the might of God, he [reflected himself into or] discovered himself in the great deep of the kingdom of this world ; in which the great wonders also stand hidden in the centre, as we see that man hath (by his eternal mind) discovered it, and brought it to x light, as is seen » Or the day. before our eyes. And in his discovering [or reflecting] he imagined, and fell into lust, for the spirit of the world took hold of him, (as a mother maketh a mark upon a child in the mother's womb), and [he] became (in the lust) impregnated from the spirit of this world, and then was blind as to God, and saw neither God nor the virgin any more in his mind. And thus the kingdom of heaven continued in the opened gate of the omnipotence [or almightiness], (in the paradise) in its [own] Principle to itself (and the virgin in it) hidden in the centre, and was in Adam, and yet Adam (with his mind) was not in God, but in the spirit of this world ; and he became feeble as to the kingdom of God, and so fell down and slept.
55. And then God (by the spirit of this world
p. 392
1 Adam. through the Fiat) built [or formed] out of 1him
2 multiplied the woman of this world, by whom he 2 increased or propagated. .... „,,
49. And the spirit of the eternal essences (which has understanding and knowledge, and also the trial and proving of every thing, in which the source [or active property or quality] which is in man, consists) that was breathed into him, by the wisdom of God, through the driving will, which goes 8 forward, out of the eternal mind, out of30rintorethe opened gates of the deep, through the word, 81 [together] with the moving spirit of God. And he had the 4 touch of the centre of the abyss [wz.]« Or stirring. the eternal source 6 behind him, as a band, and6 Or as the before him, the heart and light of God, as a glance the light. of the joy and kindling of paradise, which springe th up in the essences with the light of the joy ; and beneath him [he had] the four elements in the budding out of the limbus which was in him.
390 THE THREE PRINCIPLES [Ch. 17
50. And as long as he set his imagination in the Heart of God, the paradise was in him, [and he in the paradise], and the band of the abyss in him (in
1 Or property, the l source) was a paradise of transcendent ioy:
as the fire is ' . * J the cause of and the kingdom of this world held him from shining. beneath also in the band, because it goes forth from the element. But so long as he. set his mind in the Heart of God, it [the kingdom of the four elements] could not lay hold on him [or master him], and it was impotent, as to him, as this world is impotent as to God.
51. And thus the spirit and soul of Adam stood in the midst (in the joyful paradise) forty days, as
8 three had a one [only! day. and all 2 inclined to him ; one desire to have L J J J him. [whereof was] the kingdom of hell, of the eternal originality out of the dark mind, out of which his worm of the soul (in the opened gate) was gone forth ; and secondly, [there inclined to him] the Deity of the kingdom of heaven in the opened gate, in the pleasant lustre ; and thirdly, the spirit of the stars and elements [inclined to him] drawing him to their bands, and heartily desiring him.
52. And thus Adam stood upright in the temptation ; for his angry mind (out of the originality of the first Principle) stood in joy [being enlightened] from the light of God ; and the source of the fierce wrath made the rising joy, for the light made all meek and friendly, that he might incline himself to love ; and thereby he stood (on earth) rightly in the paradise.
Ch. 17] OF THE FALL OF ADAM AND EVE 391
53. The four elements of this world, together with the sun and stars, could not qualify [or mix] with him ; he drew no air into him ; but the spirit of God (in the virgin) was his breathing, and [his] kindling of the. fire in the spirit.
54. But while he thus stood (between the kingdom of hell and the kingdom of this world) in the paradise, bound with bands, and yet also wholly free, in the might of God, he [reflected himself into or] discovered himself in the great deep of the kingdom of this world ; in which the great wonders also stand hidden in the centre, as we see that man has (by his eternal mind) discovered it, and brought it to x light, as is seen » Or the day. before our eyes. And in his discovering [or reflecting] he imagined, and fell into lust, for the spirit of the world took hold of him, (as a mother makes a mark upon a child in the mother's womb), and [he] became (in the lust) impregnated from the spirit of this world, and then was blind as to God, and saw neither God nor the virgin any more in his mind. And thus the kingdom of heaven continued in the opened gate of the omnipotence [or almightiness], (in the paradise) in its [own] Principle to itself (and the virgin in it) hidden in the centre, and was in Adam, and yet Adam (with his mind) was not in God, but in the spirit of this world ; and he became feeble as to the kingdom of God, and so fell down and slept.
55. And then God (by the spirit of this world
392 THE THREE PRINCIPLES [Ch. 17
1 Adam. through the Fiat) built [or formed] out of 1him
2 multiplied the woman of this world, by whom he 2 increased or propagated. .... „,,